Synergistic effects of hypoxia and morphogenetic factors on early chondrogenic commitment of human embryonic stem cells in embryoid body culture.

Derivation of articular chondrocytes from human stem cells would advance our current understanding of chondrogenesis, and accelerate development of new stem cell therapies for cartilage repair. Chondrogenic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has been studied using supplemental and cell-secreted morphogenetic factors. The use of bioreactors enabled insights into the effects of physical forces and controlled oxygen tension. In this study, we investigated the interactive effects of controlled variation of oxygen tension and chondrocyte-secreted morphogenetic factors on chondrogenic differentiation of hESCs in the embryoid body format (hESC-EB). Transient hypoxic culture (2 weeks at 5 % O2 followed by 1 week at 21 % O2) of hESC-EBs in medium conditioned with primary chondrocytes up-regulated the expression of SOX9 and suppressed pluripotent markers OCT4 and NANOG. Pellets derived from these cells showed significant up-regulation of chondrogenic genes (SOX9, COL2A1, ACAN) and enhanced production of cartilaginous matrix (collagen type II and proteoglycan) as compared to the pellets from hESC-EBs cultured under normoxic conditions. Gene expression profiles corresponded to those associated with native cartilage development, with early expression of N-cadherin (indicator of cell condensation) and late expression of aggrecan (ACAN, indicator of proteoglycan production). When implanted into highly vascularized subcutaneous area in immunocompromised mice for 4 weeks, pellets remained phenotypically stable and consisted of cartilaginous extracellular matrix (ECM), without evidence of dedifferentiation or teratoma formation. Based on these results, we propose that chondrogenesis in hESC can be synergistically enhanced by a control of oxygen tension and morphogenetic factors secreted by chondrocytes.

Primary human alveolar bone cells isolated from tissue samples acquired at periodontal surgeries exhibit sustained proliferation and retain osteogenic phenotype during in vitro expansion.

OBJECTIVES: Bone tissue regeneration requires a source of viable, proliferative cells with osteogenic differentiation capacity. Periodontal surgeries represent an opportunity to procure small amounts of autologous tissues for primary cell isolation. Our objective was to assess the potential of human alveolar bone as a source of autologous osteogenic cells for tissue engineering and biomaterials and drug testing studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Alveolar bone tissue was obtained from 37 patients undergoing routine periodontal surgery. Tissue harvesting and cell isolation procedures were optimized to isolate viable cells. Primary cells were subcultured and characterized with respect to their growth characteristics, gene expression of osteogenic markers, alkaline phosphatase activity and matrix mineralization, under osteogenic stimulation. RESULTS: Alveolar bone cells were successfully isolated from 28 of the 30 samples harvested with bone forceps, and from 2 of the 5 samples obtained by bone drilling. The yield of cells in primary cultures was variable between the individual samples, but was not related to the site of tissue harvesting and the patient age. In 80% of samples (n = 5), the primary cells proliferated steadily for eight subsequent passages, reaching cumulative numbers over 10(10) cells. Analyses confirmed stable gene expression of alkaline phosphatase, osteopontin and osteocalcin in early and late cell passages. In osteogenic medium, the cells from late passages increased alkaline phosphatase activity and accumulated mineralized matrix, indicating a mature osteoblastic phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Primary alveolar bone cells exhibited robust proliferation and retained osteogenic phenotype during in vitro expansion, suggesting that they can be used as an autologous cell source for bone regenerative therapies and various in vitro studies.

Cultivation of human bone-like tissue from pluripotent stem cell-derived osteogenic progenitors in perfusion bioreactors.

Human pluripotent stem cells represent an unlimited source of skeletal tissue progenitors for studies of bone biology, pathogenesis, and the development of new approaches for bone reconstruction and therapies. In order to construct in vitro models of bone tissue development and to grow functional, clinical-size bone substitutes for transplantation, cell cultivation in three-dimensional environments composed of porous osteoconductive scaffolds and dynamic culture systems-bioreactors-has been studied. Here, we describe a stepwise procedure for the induction of human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (collectively termed PSCs) into mesenchymal-like progenitors, and their subsequent cultivation on decellularized bovine bone scaffolds in perfusion bioreactors, to support the development of viable, stable bone-like tissue in defined geometries.

Make no bones about it: cells could soon be reprogrammed to grow replacement bones?

Recent developments in nuclear reprogramming allow the generation of patient-matched stem cells with broad potential for applications in cell therapies, disease modeling and drug discovery. An increasing body of work is reporting the derivation of lineage-specific progenitors from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), which could in the near future be used to engineer personalized tissue substitutes, including those for reconstructive therapies of bone. Although the potential clinical impact of such technology is not arguable, significant challenges remain to be addressed before hiPSC-derived progenitors can be employed to engineer bone substitutes of clinical relevance. The most important challenge is indeed the construction of personalized multicellular bone substitutes for the treatment of complex skeletal defects that integrate fast, are immune tolerated and display biofunctionality and long-term safety. As recent studies suggest, the merging of iPSC technology with advanced biomaterials and bioreactor technologies offers a way to generate bone substitutes in a controllable, automated manner with potential to meet the needs for scale-up and requirements for translation into clinical practice. It is only via the use of state-of-the-art cell culture technologies, process automation under GMP-compliant conditions, application of appropriate engineering strategies and compliance with regulatory policies that personalized lab-made bone grafts can start being used to treat human patients.

Modulating the biochemical and biophysical culture environment to enhance osteogenic differentiation and maturation of human pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal progenitors.

Advances in the fields of stem cell biology, biomaterials, and tissue engineering over the last decades have brought the possibility of constructing tissue substitutes with a broad range of applications in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug discovery. Different types of human stem cells have been used, each presenting a unique set of advantages and limitations with regard to the desired research goals. Whereas adult stem cells are at the frontier of research for tissue and organ regeneration, pluripotent stem cells represent a more challenging cell source for clinical translation. However, with their unlimited growth and wide differentiation potential, pluripotent stem cells represent an unprecedented resource for the construction of advanced human tissue models for biological studies and drug discovery. At the heart of these applications lies the challenge to reproducibly expand, differentiate, and organize stem cells into mature, stable tissue structures. In this review, we focus on the derivation of mesenchymal tissue progenitors from human pluripotent stem cells and the control of their osteogenic differentiation and maturation by modulation of the biophysical culture environment. Similarly to enhancing bone development, the described principles can be applied to the construction of other mesenchymal tissues for basic and applicative studies.

Engineering bone tissue substitutes from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Congenital defects, trauma, and disease can compromise the integrity and functionality of the skeletal system to the extent requiring implantation of bone grafts. Engineering of viable bone substitutes that can be personalized to meet specific clinical needs represents a promising therapeutic alternative. The aim of our study was to evaluate the utility of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) for bone tissue engineering. We first induced three hiPSC lines with different tissue and reprogramming backgrounds into the mesenchymal lineages and used a combination of differentiation assays, surface antigen profiling, and global gene expression analysis to identify the lines exhibiting strong osteogenic differentiation potential. We then engineered functional bone substitutes by culturing hiPSC-derived mesenchymal progenitors on osteoconductive scaffolds in perfusion bioreactors and confirmed their phenotype stability in a subcutaneous implantation model for 12 wk. Molecular analysis confirmed that the maturation of bone substitutes in perfusion bioreactors results in global repression of cell proliferation and an increased expression of lineage-specific genes. These results pave the way for growing patient-specific bone substitutes for reconstructive treatments of the skeletal system and for constructing qualified experimental models of development and disease.

Bioreactor engineering of stem cell environments.

Stem cells hold promise to revolutionize modern medicine by the development of new therapies, disease models and drug screening systems. Standard cell culture systems have limited biological relevance because they do not recapitulate the complex 3-dimensional interactions and biophysical cues that characterize the in vivo environment. In this review, we discuss the current advances in engineering stem cell environments using novel biomaterials and bioreactor technologies. We also reflect on the challenges the field is currently facing with regard to the translation of stem cell based therapies into the clinic.

Bone scaffold architecture modulates the development of mineralized bone matrix by human embryonic stem cells.

Decellularized bone has been widely used as a scaffold for bone formation, due to its similarity to the native bone matrix and excellent osteoinductive and biomechanical properties. We have previously shown that human mesenchymal and embryonic stem cells form functional bone matrix on such scaffolds, without the use of growth factors. In this study, we focused on differences in bone matrix that exist even among identical harvesting sites, and the effects of the matrix architecture and mineral content on bone formation by human embryonic stem cells (hESC). Mesenchymal progenitors derived from hESCs were cultured for 5 weeks in decellularized bone scaffolds with three different densities: low (0.281 ± 0.018 mg/mm(3)), medium (0.434 ± 0.015 mg/mm(3)) and high (0.618 ± 0.027 mg/mm(3)). The medium-density group yielded highest densities of cells and newly assembled bone matrix, presumably due to the best balance between the transport of nutrients and metabolites to and from the cells, space for cell infiltration, surface for cell attachment and the mechanical strength of the scaffolds, all of which depend on the scaffold density. Bone mineral was beneficial for the higher expression of bone markers in cultured cells and more robust accumulation of the new bone matrix.

Engineering bone tissue from human embryonic stem cells.

In extensive bone defects, tissue damage and hypoxia lead to cell death, resulting in slow and incomplete healing. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) can give rise to all specialized lineages found in healthy bone and are therefore uniquely suited to aid regeneration of damaged bone. We show that the cultivation of hESC-derived mesenchymal progenitors on 3D osteoconductive scaffolds in bioreactors with medium perfusion leads to the formation of large and compact bone constructs. Notably, the implantation of engineered bone in immunodeficient mice for 8 wk resulted in the maintenance and maturation of bone matrix, without the formation of teratomas that is consistently observed when undifferentiated hESCs are implanted, alone or in bone scaffolds. Our study provides a proof of principle that tissue-engineering protocols can be successfully applied to hESC progenitors to grow bone grafts for use in basic and translational studies.

Effects of pamidronate on human alveolar osteoblasts in vitro.

PURPOSE: Administration of bisphosphonates has recently been associated with the development of osteonecrotic lesions of the jaw (ONJ). To elucidate the potential contributions of osteogenic cells to the development and regeneration of ONJ, we have isolated primary cells from human alveolar and long/iliac bones, and examined the effects of pamidronate on cell viability, proliferation, osteogenesis, and wound healing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary human osteoblasts and bone marrow stromal cells were isolated from alveolar and iliac/long bone and marrow tissue. Cellular proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling, caspase-3, and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride assays) and wound healing in an in vitro scratch assay were assessed after exposure to pamidronate at a range of clinically relevant doses. RESULTS: Primary alveolar osteoblasts proliferated at significantly higher rates than long/iliac bone osteoblasts in vitro. Upon exposure of alveolar osteoblasts and long/iliac bone marrow stromal cells to pamidronate for more than 72 hours, we have observed significantly decreased cell viability, proliferation, osteogenesis, and in vitro wound healing at ≥6 × 10(-5) mol/L pamidronate, with the induction of apoptosis in approximately 20% of cell population. CONCLUSIONS: The remodeling activity of alveolar bone, indicated by higher proliferation of alveolar osteoblasts, could be negatively affected by exposure to high concentrations of pamidronate over extended periods. The absence of anabolic effects of pamidronate on alveolar osteoblasts and the induction of apoptosis in osteogenic cells could negatively affect bone balance at this site and contribute to osteonecrosis of the jaw.

State of the art in stem cell research: human embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and transdifferentiation.

Stem cells divide by asymmetric division and display different degrees of potency, or ability to differentiate into various specialized cell types. Owing to their unique regenerative capacity, stem cells have generated great enthusiasm worldwide and represent an invaluable tool with unprecedented potential for biomedical research and therapeutic applications. Stem cells play a central role in the understanding of molecular mechanisms regulating tissue development and regeneration in normal and pathological conditions and open large possibilities for the discovery of innovative pharmaceuticals to treat the most devastating diseases of our time. Not least, their intrinsic characteristics allow the engineering of functional tissues for replacement therapies that promise to revolutionize the medical practice in the near future. In this paper, the authors present the characteristics of pluripotent stem cells and new developments of transdifferentiation technologies and explore some of the biomedical applications that this emerging technology is expected to empower.

Derivation of two new human embryonic stem cell lines from nonviable human embryos.

We report the derivation and characterization of two new human embryonic stem cells (hESC) lines (CU1 and CU2) from embryos with an irreversible loss of integrated organismic function. In addition, we analyzed retrospective data of morphological progression from embryonic day (ED) 5 to ED6 for 2480 embryos not suitable for clinical use to assess grading criteria indicative of loss of viability on ED5. Our analysis indicated that a large proportion of in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos not suitable for clinical use could be used for hESC derivation. Based on these combined findings, we propose that criteria commonly used in IVF clinics to determine optimal embryos for uterine transfer can be employed to predict the potential for hESC derivation from poor quality embryos without the destruction of vital human embryos.

Optimizing the medium perfusion rate in bone tissue engineering bioreactors.

There is a critical need to increase the size of bone grafts that can be cultured in vitro for use in regenerative medicine. Perfusion bioreactors have been used to improve the nutrient and gas transfer capabilities and reduce the size limitations inherent to static culture, as well as to modulate cellular responses by hydrodynamic shear. Our aim was to understand the effects of medium flow velocity on cellular phenotype and the formation of bone-like tissues in three-dimensional engineered constructs. We utilized custom-designed perfusion bioreactors to culture bone constructs for 5 weeks using a wide range of superficial flow velocities (80, 400, 800, 1,200, and 1,800 µm/s), corresponding to estimated initial shear stresses ranging from 0.6 to 20 mPa. Increasing the flow velocity significantly affected cell morphology, cell-cell interactions, matrix production and composition, and the expression of osteogenic genes. Within the range studied, the flow velocities ranging from 400 to 800 µm/s yielded the best overall osteogenic responses. Using mathematical models, we determined that even at the lowest flow velocity (80 µm/s) the oxygen provided was sufficient to maintain viability of the cells within the construct. Yet it was clear that this flow velocity did not adequately support the development of bone-like tissue. The complexity of the cellular responses found at different flow velocities underscores the need to use a range of evaluation parameters to determine the quality of engineered bone.

Potential pathophysiological mechanisms in osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Bisphosphonates are used in the treatment of hypercalcemia of malignancy, skeletal complications associated with metastastic bone disease, Paget's disease, and osteoporosis. Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a recently described clinical condition that has been associated with the use of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates. Reports describing this entity first appeared in the literature in 2003. While there have been significant numbers of case reports and a limited number of retrospective and prospective studies examining risk factors associated with ONJ, the pathophysiology of this condition remains elusive. In this review, we explore proposed mechanisms underlying ONJ development and identify potential areas for future investigation.

Bone tissue engineering with human stem cells.

Treatment of extensive bone defects requires autologous bone grafting or implantation of bone substitute materials. An attractive alternative has been to engineer fully viable, biological bone grafts in vitro by culturing osteogenic cells within three-dimensional scaffolds, under conditions supporting bone formation. Such grafts could be used for implantation, but also as physiologically relevant models in basic and translational studies of bone development, disease and drug discovery. A source of human cells that can be derived in large numbers from a small initial harvest and predictably differentiated into bone forming cells is critically important for engineering human bone grafts. We discuss the characteristics and limitations of various types of human embryonic and adult stem cells, and their utility for bone tissue engineering.

Breaking ground on translational stem cell research.

Sponsored by the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), the "Fourth Annual Translational Stem Cell Research Conference: Breaking Ground" convened October 13-14, 2009 at The Rockefeller University in New York City to discuss translational stem cell research. Attracting over 400 scientists, patient advocates, and stem cell research supporters from fifteen countries, the two-day conference featured an afternoon of panel discussions, intended for a broad audience, followed by a second day of scientific talks and poster presentations. This report summarizes both days of this exciting conference.

Bone grafts engineered from human adipose-derived stem cells in perfusion bioreactor culture.

We report engineering of half-centimeter-sized bone constructs created in vitro using human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs), decellularized bone scaffolds, and perfusion bioreactors. The hASCs are easily accessible, can be used in an autologous fashion, are rapidly expanded in culture, and are capable of osteogenic differentiation. hASCs from four donors were characterized for their osteogenic capacity, and one representative cell population was used for tissue engineering experiments. Culture-expanded hASCs were seeded on fully decellularized native bone scaffolds (4 mm diameter x 4 mm thick), providing the necessary structural and mechanical environment for osteogenic differentiation, and cultured in bioreactors with medium perfusion. The interstitial flow velocity was set to a level necessary to maintain cell viability and function throughout the construct volume (400 microm/s), via enhanced mass transport. After 5 weeks of cultivation, the addition of osteogenic supplements (dexamethasone, sodium-beta-glycerophosphate, and ascorbic acid-2-phosphate) to culture medium significantly increased the construct cellularity and the amounts of bone matrix components (collagen, bone sialoprotein, and bone osteopontin). Medium perfusion markedly improved the distribution of cells and bone matrix in engineered constructs. In summary, a combination of hASCs, decellularized bone scaffold, perfusion culture, and osteogenic supplements resulted in the formation of compact and viable bone tissue constructs.

Tissue engineered bone grafts: biological requirements, tissue culture and clinical relevance.

The tremendous need for bone tissue in numerous clinical situations and the limited availability of suitable bone grafts are driving the development of tissue engineering approaches to bone repair. In order to engineer viable bone grafts, one needs to understand the mechanisms of native bone development and fracture healing, as these processes should ideally guide the selection of optimal conditions for tissue culture and implantation. Engineered bone grafts have been shown to have capacity for osteogenesis, osteoconduction, osteoinduction and osteointegration - functional connection between the host bone and the graft. Cells from various anatomical sources in conjunction with scaffolds and osteogenic factors have been shown to form bone tissue in vitro. The use of bioreactor systems to culture cells on scaffolds before implantation further improved the quality of the resulting bone grafts. Animal studies confirmed the capability of engineered grafts to form bone and integrate with the host tissues. However, the vascularization of bone remains one of the hurdles that need to be overcome if clinically sized, fully viable bone grafts are to be engineered and implanted. We discuss here the biological guidelines for tissue engineering of bone, the bioreactor cultivation of human mesenchymal stem cells on three-dimensional scaffolds, and the need for vascularization and functional integration of bone grafts following implantation.

Engineered microenvironments for human stem cells.

Regulation of cell differentiation and assembly remains a fundamental question in developmental biology. During development, tissues emerge from coordinated sequences of the renewal, differentiation, and assembly of stem cells. Likewise, regeneration of an adult tissue is driven by the migration and differentiation of repair cells. The fields of stem cells and regenerative medicine are starting to realize how important is the entire context of the cell environment, with the presence of other cells, three-dimensional matrices, and sequences of molecular and physical morphogens. The premise is that to unlock the full potential of stem cells, at least some aspects of the dynamic environments normally present in vivo need to be reconstructed in experimental systems used in vitro. We review here some recent work that utilized engineered environments for guiding the embryonic and adult human stem cells, and focus on vasculogenesis as a critical and universally important aspect of tissue development and regeneration. Birth Defects Research (Part C) 84:335-347, 2008. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Engineering custom-designed osteochondral tissue grafts.

Tissue engineering is expected to help us outlive the failure of our organs by enabling the creation of tissue substitutes capable of fully restoring the original tissue function. Degenerative joint disease, which affects one-fifth of the US population and is the country's leading cause of disability, drives current research of actively growing, functional tissue grafts for joint repair. Toward this goal, living cells are used in conjunction with biomaterial scaffolds (serving as instructive templates for tissue development) and bioreactors (providing environmental control and molecular and physical regulatory signals). In this review, we discuss the requirements for engineering customized, anatomically-shaped, stratified grafts for joint repair and the challenges of designing these grafts to provide immediate functionality (load bearing, structural support) and long-term regeneration (maturation, integration, remodeling).